As the third book, “Cop Incognito,” gets going, I’m noticing a pattern starting to emerge. There is a severe lack of trust with many of the characters in this third installment in the series. And, you know what? I’m happy with it.

There are some fantastic writers out there whose whole job security depends on the steadfast, unwavering nature of their heroes. These characters are always strong, always right, always morally correct. Doubts, schmouts. Well, bully for them.

My characters are not good at being saints. Sometimes they do some really stupid shit. They make mistakes. They make poor decisions. They lie. They cheat. They swear. They have sex, sometimes regrettably. They have prejudices and preconceived notions about the world around them, based solely on their ingrained beliefs, and, yet, I really feel for them.

Life is not easy. Choices are not always cut and dried. Sometimes it simply comes down to the consequences you are willing to live with. Even though my characters live in a world completely in my control, that doesn’t mean I’m going to make their lives easy. Why should they get off? I don’t get to.

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